Sla's Barbershop Chigo Boystown - Barber Lakeview Wrigleyville men's haircut 60657 Gay LGBTQ

queer barber shop chicago

16 Dec 2024

How did a small barber shop Edgewater cultivate a followg Chigo’s gay kkster scene? Patrons say down to acceptance.

Contents:

\NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":3665683574},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":3831971573},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS
THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

\NQUEER-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS\NONE THG I LOVE ABOUT QUEER LIFE CHIGO IS HOW SO MANY FAC AND VOIC ARE BEG REGNIZED. IN THE PAST, YOU’D GO TO BOYSTOWN AND SEEMED LIKE WAS MOSTLY JT A PLACE FOR GAY WHE GUYS. TODAY SO MANY MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A LARGER PRENCE QUEER LIFE CHIGO—PEOPLE OF LOR, FEMM, TRANS MEN AND WOMEN, GENRQUEER AND MORE. AND WHAT’S BETIFUL TO ME IS EVERYWHERE YOU GO CHIGO, QUEERS ARE THERE. EVEN THOUGH MANY OF STILL LIVE GAY-HEAVY ‘HOODS, WE’RE NOT GHETTOIZED ANYMORE AND LIVE EVERYWHERE — AND THE CY, FOR THE MOST PART, IS OPEN AND ACCEPTG. \NBOYSTOWN\NDPE THE NAME, BOYSTOWN IS CHIGO’S LARGT CLIVE LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD WH BARS, SHOPS, RTRANTS, GYMS, THEATERS, A HISTORIL LEGACY WALK WH RABOW-CLAD MARTNS ALONG HALSTED STREET AND THE CENTER ON HALSTED, THE CY’S LARGE LGBTQ+ CENTER. THE ANNUAL PRI PARA AND FTIVAL TAKE PLACE HERE EACH JUNE AS DO MARKET DAYS, ONE OF THE UNTRY’S LARGT STREET FAIRS. GAYS STARTED MOVG HERE THE 1960S AND ‘70S AND OFFICIALLY BEME A GAY VILLAGE 1997, THE FIRST UNTRY. \NANRSONVILLE\NSET ON THE FAR NORTH SI CENTERED ALONG CLARK STREET BETWEEN WNEMAC AND IRVG PARK, THIS FORMER SWEDISH ENCLAVE STARTED ATTRACTG MORE GAYS AND LBIANS THE LATE 1980S, PECIALLY WH THE OPENG OF WOMEN & CHILDREN FIRST BOOKSTORE. TODAY, ANRSONVILLE IS A LIVELY, LORFULLY-MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD WH FANTASTIC RTRANTS AND BARS LIKE ANTEPRIMA, LTLE BAD WOLF, REPLAY AND MARTY’S MARTI BAR. THERE ARE BETIFUL HOM AND EASY ACCS TO HOLLYWOOD BEACH, A.K.A. THE GAY BEACH, JT A FEW BLOCKS TO THE EAST. \NWICKER PARK\NWHILE NOT REALLY NSIRED AN OFFICIAL LGBTQ+ NEIGHBORHOOD, WICKER PARK (AND BUCKTOWN AND LOGAN SQUARE FOR THAT MATTER) IS VERY GAY IENDLY, AS EVINCED BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUEER FOLK WHO LIVE THAT PART OF THE CY. THIS AREA IS A HUB OF CREATIVY, EXCELLENT NIGHTLIFE, LIVE MIC BARS, GALLERI, THEATERS, AND SO MUCH MORE. \N","MARKER":{"NAME":"","IMAGE":{},"SCRIPTN":"","NTENT":[]},"ID":3665683574},{"TYPE":"SLISHOW","IMAG":[{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"THE DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20678,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"DRAWG ROOM AT THE CHIGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATN. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20679,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960},{"RETAHEIGHT":800,"MOBILESRC":","SRC":","MOBILEWIDTH":560,"SQUARELARGEHEIGHT":640,"WIDTH":1200,"PTN":"SOME CHAMPAGNE THE DRAWG ROOM. PHOTO BY CLAYTON HCK. ","HEIGHT":800,"SQUARELARGEWIDTH":640,"SQUAREHUGE":","RETASRC":","MOBILEHEIGHT":373,"ALT":"","SQUARESMALL":","RETAWIDTH":1200,"SQUAREHUGEHEIGHT":800,"SQUARESMALLHEIGHT":320,"SQUAREMEDIUM":","SQUAREMEDIUMWIDTH":480,"SQUAREMEDIUMHEIGHT":480,"ID":20680,"SQUARESMALLWIDTH":320,"SQUARELARGE":","SQUAREHUGEWIDTH":960}],"ID":3831971573},{"TYPE":"PARAGRAPH","NTENT":"HOTELS\NIN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU’D BE HARD PRSED TO FD A HOTEL CHIGO THAT ISN’T GAY IENDLY (NOT TO MENTN GAY WELG), WHETHER THE HIGH-END SPOTS AROUND MICHIGAN AVENUE, HIP HOTELS FULTON MARKET LIKE THE ACE, HOXTON, AND SOHO HOE, UBER-OL ROBEY WICKER PARK, OR THE SIGN-FORWARD HOTEL ZACHARY ACROSS THE STREET OM WRIGLEY FIELD AND JT BLOCKS OM BOYSTOWN. BUT IF YOU WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO THE ACTN, CHECK OUT THE HAWTHORNE TERRACE OR VILLA TOSNA GUTHOE RIGHT BOYSTOWN, OR THE GUTHOE HOTEL, JT SOUTH OF THE HEART OF ANRSONVILLE ON CLARK STREET. \N \NQUEER-OWNED BS

Beg a gay-owned shop, the safety and fort our LGBTQIA+ fay are top prry.

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

“We uld be as gay as we wanted to be, ” Rodriguez said.

BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM QUEER BARBER SHOP CHICAGO

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class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__SibarWrapper-sc-1l879b1-0 heJNCx le-mon__sgle-sponsor le-mon__sibar le-mon__sibar--ntentWidth" id="sgle_sponsor"><div></div></div><div class="articleHear__ContaerWrapper-sc-ct0iug-0 lisEqa article-hear irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleHear"><a class="eyebrow__LkWrapper-sc-tqc2sf-0 jIAEBq article-hear__eyebrow irvg__term-lk irvg__term-lk--eyebrow" href=" rel="" target=""><div class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__term-name irvg__term-name--flt">At, Garfield Park, North Lawndale</div></a><h1 class="primaryFontHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1otf4oo-0 sgleHeadg__TextWrapper-sc-1rx3zam-0 jGqHzL iTAVMZ article-hear__post-tle irvg__post-tle irvg__post-tle--sgleHeadg">How A Puerto Rin, Transmascule Barber Is Creatg An Oasis For Black, Queer And Trans People</h1><p class="k__TextWrapper-sc-ktbqq9-0 jwCKVS article-hear__k irvg__text irvg__text--k">“I thk that when we make a service that’s ma for all of — if you are servicg queer trans Black folks — then everythg else n e afterwards," Jai Rodriguez said.</p></div><div class="articleMeta__ContaerWrapper-sc-mnxmjt-0 kiZEZ article-meta article-meta--top irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--articleMeta"><div class="flt__SocialShargWrapper-sc-1ap9xvz-0 fInWHe article-meta__social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg irvg__post-social-sharg--pill"><ul class="pill__SocialShargList-sc-19unuas-0 hpxHWY post-social-sharg__list"><li class="pill__SocialShargItemWrapper-sc-19unuas-1 iWrpEJ redd"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma --flt" href=" rel="" target="_blank"><span class="pill__InWrapper-sc-19unuas-2 iCbVVq redd"><svg stroke="currentColor" fill="currentColor" stroke-width="0" viewBox="0 0 24 24" height="1em" width="1em" xmlns="><tle>Share on redd</tle><path fill-le="evenodd" d="M15.57,15.284 C14.673,15.284 13.91925,14.5565 13.91925,13.6595 C13.91925,12.7625 14.673,12.011 15.57,12.011 C16.467,12.011 17.1945,12.7625 17.1945,13.6595 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class="sibar__Avatars-sc-135rg5d-3 cYVCSw post-byle__grouped-avatars"><div class="flt__Element-sc-8r6934-0 Eajbf post-byle__left irvg__agment irvg__agment--flt"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" aria-hidn="te" href=" rel="" target="" tabx="-1"><figure class="flt__FigureWrapper-sc-1lmy-0 fjaYGN post-byle__avatar irvg__image irvg__image--flt"><span style="paddg-bottom:100%" class="flt__ImageWrapper-sc-1lmy-1 hnRmkg"><img alt="" loadg="lazy" src=" Foglia" srcSet="" siz="" class="flt__ImageTag-sc-1lmy-2 jDWYqd"/></span></figure></a></div></div><div class="sibar__AuthorNam-sc-135rg5d-2 cqTYOK post-byle__thor-nam"><span class="flt__AuthorWrapper-sc-3fiqtm-2 cAJsvb post-byle__thor"><a class="flt__LkWrapper-sc-iyf4mi-0 hcvtma post-byle__thor-lk irvg__lk irvg__lk--flt" href=" rel="" target=""><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Lou Foglia</span></a></span></div></div></div><div class="timtamp__TextWrapper-sc-1uu26yx-0 fBbNtW article-meta__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp le-mon__post-timtamp--timtamp"><div class="post-date">9:20 AM CDT on Jun 30, 2022</div> </div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-featured-image irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt" id="sgle_media"><figure class="article__FigureWrapper-sc-7s8aer-0 enkhzk irvg__post-featured-image irvg__post-featured-image--article"><span style="paddg-bottom:56.25%" class="article__ImageWrapper-sc-7s8aer-1 cLpHBB"><img alt="" height="675" loadg="lazy" src=" srcSet=" 2400w, 1800w, 1200w, 900w, 600w, 450w, 300w, 100w" siz="(max-width: 350px) 350px, (max-width: 1058px) 768px, (max-width: 1700px) 1080px, 2400px" width="1200" class="article__ImageTag-sc-7s8aer-2 ehmVhs"/></span><div class="article__ImageMeta-sc-7s8aer-3 eBXNjs"><figptn class="article__ImageCaptn-sc-7s8aer-4 hrwttr">Jai Rodriguez cuts hair for Woodlawn rint Benji Hart at Love Blooms Here Plaza North Lawndale Saturday, June 18, 2022.</figptn><span class="article__ImageCred-sc-7s8aer-5 ieDIYX">Lou Foglia/Block Club Chigo</span></div></figure></div></div><div class="flt__ContaerWrapper-sc-1k8y94x-0 bTqzht article-ntent-ntaer irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--flt"><div class="ntentWidth__ContaerWrapper-sc-1p9n6rf-0 gnvRpv irvg__ntaer irvg__ntaer--ntentWidth"><div class="flt__CredibilyInditorsWrapper-sc-18725oc-0 iUZmNj le-mon__credibily-ditors le-mon__credibily-ditors--flt"><ul class="credibily-ditors__list"><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><span class="flt__TextWrapper-sc-hmou3q-0 nVGhA credibily-ditors__tle irvg__text irvg__text--flt">Credibily:</span></li><li class="credibily-ditors__list-em"><div class="flt__PopoverWrapper-sc-19b13eh-0 aA-dxY le-mon__popover le-mon__popover--flt"><div class="popover" aria-modal="false" aria-hidn="te" role="dialog" style="posn:fixed;visibily:hidn;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0">This article ntas new, firsthand rmatn unvered by s reporter(s). 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class="articleContent__Wrapper-sc-1rqfqf-0 bDtujo le-mon__article-ntent pi-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent le-mon__gutenberg-ntent--articleContent" id="pi"><p>NORTH LAWNDALE — In 2007, when Jai Rodriguez walked to Jayuya Barbershop Humboldt Park was his first time gettg a haircut he actually wanted. </p><p>For years, Rodriguez kept his hair curly and long down his back. The cut he had md was drastilly shorter — so much so that the barber was nervo about cuttg and asked Rodriguez five tim if he was sure, Rodriguez said.</p><p>“It took him a while, and I remember the whole barbershop stopped what they were dog to e see,” Rodriguez said. “It was jt so affirmg to walk out of there and have the haircut that I wanted.”</p><p>Now, Rodriguez, a 38-year-old Puerto Rin and transmacule barber based south suburban Homewood, wants queer people who s his barber chair to feel the same affirmatns. Through tn and mentorship wh his muny, Rodriguez is buildg a barbershop centered around Black, queer, transgenr people. </p><p>“One of the thgs that we don’t get all the time is bs or plac that put Black queer trans folks to the ont,” Rodriguez said. “I thk that when we make a service that’s ma for all of — if you are servicg queer trans Black folks — then everythg else n e afterwards.” </p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 5346w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-544560" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Lou Foglia/Block Club Chigo</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Jai Rodriguez cuts hair for Woodlawn rint Benji Hart at Love Blooms Here Plaza North Lawndale on June 18.</figptn></figure><p>For now, Rodriguez cuts hair out of his home. Most clients fd him by word of mouth and intify as LGBTQ, he said. He books clients multiple days a week. Some travel by rpool groups, bookg entire afternoons at a time. </p><p>Rodriguez is also the host of Boi Talk, a transmascule support group through Brave Space Alliance, a Black and trans-led LGBTQ center based Hy Park at 1515 E. 52nd Place. Two Saturdays a month, he works hair appotments out of Brave Space Alliance, an ia he helped brg to the anizatn.</p><p>For Rodriguez, hair is an sential part of how queer people exprs themselv. It holds the power to make a statement and “the eedom” to be who you are, he said. </p><p>“I was told I would look super manly if I cut off all my hair,” Rodriguez said. “I thk before I knew I was trans, I kd of battled wh keepg hair for somebody else bee ma them feel fortable. When I was able to chop my hair down to a one — was so eeg. I was able to look at myself so differently than I ed to before.”</p><p>Rodriguez grew up Humboldt Park. Route viss to Jayuya Barbershop led Rodriguez to the ia of cuttg his own hair. He spent hours learng om barbers neighborhood shops and eventually got a job cuttg hair at Jayuya. </p><p>Rodriguez later went pennt, buyg a vtage barber chair om a retirg barber and cuttg hair out of his mother’s Humboldt Park home. Rodriguez built a followg among queer clients and began cultivatg a space where LGBTQ people uld be their thentic selv.</p><p>“We uld be as gay as we wanted to be,” Rodriguez said. “We didn’t have to dial anythg down or nstantly be monorg.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6240w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 254w, 507w, 1013w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-544562" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Lou Foglia/Block Club Chigo</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Jai Rodriguez cuts hair for Woodlawn rint Benji Hart at Love Blooms Here Plaza North Lawndale on June 18.</figptn></figure><p>Rodriguez said he is proud to be “visibly queer,” but he noted queerns is not somethg people n hi or turn off when walkg to a barbershop, even if there is an urge to do so. </p><p>“Beg a barbershop n also be really weird for somebody who is not a straight du,” Rodriguez said. “The nversatns get really weird really fast. It’s super sexist.” </p><p>Rodriguez workg out of his own space has allowed for clients to discs difficult topics, like genr-affirmg health re, genr dysphoria, relatnships and fay. Clients share rourc while gettg reprentatn and mentorship om Rodriguez. Safety is a top prry, he said.</p><p>“I take my job really serly bee there’s not that many people that e such close ntact wh you. It’s lerally like doctors — and barbers,” Rodriguez said. “I’m a person that is pretty big on personal space, so I really make sure that I’m the right headspace and the right energy when I’m alg wh my clients bee I know It n get really unfortable when someone’s not rpectg what you want or what you need at that pot.”</p><p>Benji Hart, 33, of Woodlawn, said beg able to discs LGBTQ topics wh their barber is one of the reasons they keep g back to Rodriguez.</p><p>“It’s great havg another queer person of lor that not jt unrstands my hair but unrstands me,” Hart said. “We n talk about what’s gog on our liv, we n talk about relatnship advice and iendship advice and navigatg the issu of inti wh our fai.”</p><p>Hart has been a client of Rodriguez sce 2013. They said they experienced phback om other barbers the past and were told certa styl they asked for wouldn’t be what they wanted. </p><p>Rodriguez always knew where Hart was g om. Rodriguez always listened. </p><p>“Jai really knows my hair,” Hart said. “Jai is really good at helpg you figure out what you want whout tellg you what you want and really beg a gui for you and figurg out the look that was bt for you.”</p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img siz="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" srcSet=" 6100w, 300w, 768w, 1024w, 1536w, 2048w, 1080w, 72w, 564w, 615w, 114w, 253w, 507w, 1012w, 2025w, 600w, 1200w, 1366w" class="wp-image-544564" alt="" src=" height="683" width="1024" loadg="lazy" dg="async"/><span class="image-cred"><strong>Cred: </strong> Lou Foglia/Block Club Chigo</span><figptn class="wp-element-ptn">Jai Rodriguez, a transmascule barber based Homewood, is buildg an clive barbershop centered around Chigo’s Black, queer, transgenr muny. Rodriguez, pictured North Lawndale on June 18, cut hair at Love Blooms Here Plaza.</figptn></figure><p>Rodriguez’s said he hop to open a three-chair barbershop to service queer and trans people by the end of the year. He recently pleted a bs urse through Sunshe Enterpris and is seekg an accsible space on the South Si. </p><p>Rodriguez envisns a space where pronouns are rpected and where he n teach other queer barbers to build their own clientele.</p><p>Rodriguez hop havg his own lotn will help draw attentn to the work he is dog, he said. He wants people to unrstand there is a need for LGBTQ iendly space wh barbershops and a market for queer and trans people who need barbers that listen to them. </p><p>“The feelg when you get a good haircut — ’s like you’re on top of the world,” Rodriguez said. “That’s always what I’m lookg for: to give people exactly what they want and to know what exactly means when you get right.”</p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">Subscribe to Block Club Chigo</a>, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. Every dime we make funds reportg om Chigo’s neighborhoods.</em></p><p class="pi__hi-for-payg"><em>Click <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">here</a> to support Block Club wh a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href=">tax-ductible donatn.</a></em> </p><p class="pi__show-for-payg"><em>Thanks for subscribg to Block Club Chigo, an pennt, 501(c)(3), journalist-n newsroom. 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